Iowa Code
Chapter 499 - COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATIONS
Section 499.36 - Directors.

499.36 Directors.
1. The affairs of each association shall be managed by a board of directors.
2. a. A director must be a member of the association or an officer or a member of a member-association. A director shall be elected by the members as prescribed by the association’s articles of incorporation.
b. At least five directors shall serve on the association’s board. The number of directors shall be established in accordance with the association’s articles of incorporation or bylaws. If a board has the power to fix or change the number of directors, the board may increase or decrease by thirty percent or less the number of directors last approved by the members. Only the members may increase or decrease by more than thirty percent the number of directors last approved by the members.
c. The articles of incorporation may establish a variable range for the size of the board by fixing a minimum and maximum number of directors. If a variable range is established, the number of directors may be fixed or changed from time to time, within the minimum and maximum number, by the members or the board. After shares are issued, only the members may change the range for the size of the board, change from a fixed to a variable-range-size board, or change from a variable-size to a fixed-size board.
3. a. Unless the articles or bylaws otherwise provide, if a vacancy occurs on the board, including a vacancy resulting from an increase in the number of directors, the vacancy may be filled by any of the following:
(1) The shareholders.
(2) The board.
(3) If the directors remaining in office constitute fewer than a quorum of the board, the directors may fill the vacancy by the affirmative vote of all the directors remaining in office.
b. A vacancy that will occur at a specific later date, by reason of a resignation effective at a later date, may be filled before the vacancy occurs. The new director shall not take office until the vacancy occurs.
4. The articles or bylaws may permit the directors to select an executive committee from their own number; and may prescribe its authority, which may be coextensive with that of the whole board.
5. Directors shall be elected by districts, if the articles specify the districts, the number of directors from each district, the manner of nomination, redistricting, or reapportionment, and whether directors are to be directly elected by the members or by delegates chosen by them. Districts shall be formed and redistricting shall be ordered, from time to time, so that the districts contain as nearly as possible an equal number of members. The bylaws shall describe the district boundaries currently in effect.
6. Unless the articles of incorporation or bylaws provide otherwise, the board of directors may permit any or all directors to participate in a regular or special meeting through the use of any means of communication by which all directors participating are able to simultaneously hear each other during the meeting. A director participating in a meeting pursuant to this subsection is deemed to be present in person at the meeting.
7. Unless the articles of incorporation or bylaws provide otherwise, an action required or permitted by this chapter to be taken at a board of directors’ meeting may be taken without a meeting if the action is taken by all members of the board. The action must be evidenced by one or more written consents describing the action taken, signed by each director, and filed with the corporate records reflecting the action taken. An action taken under this subsection is effective when the last director signs the consent, unless the consent specifies a different effective date. A consent signed under this subsection is deemed to have the same effect as a meeting vote and may be described as such in any document.
[C35, §8512-g36; C39, §8512.36; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §499.36]
86 Acts, ch 1196, §5; 92 Acts, ch 1147, §1; 94 Acts, ch 1023, §64; 97 Acts, ch 17, §5
Referred to in §499.38, 499.40

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